When I Met You
by Dvel732732
Summary: After the loss of his mother, 9-year-old Ichigo meets a strange boy who he's never seen before. Rather quickly, a budding friendship starts, but it is cut short when the boy suddenly disappears. Now 18, and in his final year of high school, the boy of the past comes back. What will Ichigo do with this new predicament at hand? GrimmIchi. BoyxBoy (Don't like, don't read. Duh XD).
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, nor any of it's characters. Those belong to Tite Kubo. I only own the story and the idea.

* * *

Chapter 1

" _Mommy...please wake up. Mommy! You told me to run, and I did. I came back. But why...why aren't you waking up?"_

 _The sound of an ambulance grew stronger as the pouring rain raged in intensity. A pool of blood had already started to show itself as the young 9-year-old clung to his mother's wrinkled shirt. How fitting was it that she wore a white business-like dress to work today, only to have it stain crimson with her own blood._

 _ **30 minutes ago:**_

 _The small boy had just gotten out of another normal day of school. He rushed towards his mother and attempted to jump onto her in affection. "Ichigo, honey, you should be more careful. What would happen if mommy couldn't catch you, huh? Then you would fall." Masaki Kurosaki smiled affectionately at her son as her orange waves rested slightly lower than her shoulders. Said boy with the same bright orange head merely giggled in an attempt to feign innocence. Grasping his hand, Masaki started leading the way back home, a short walking distance from the school._

 _Glancing up, she noted the drifting dark clouds overhead as they gathered together. "Looks like a storm is about to start. Better hurry now," she sighed. Ichigo looked up at his mother and laughed, "It's not so bad, mommy. I love the rain! It helps things grow, like flowers and trees. I even learned in school that it helps people like us, too!" Masaki only smiled in reply. Her son sure was smart for his age. "Plus," he continued, "whenever a storm ends, the sun seems to always shine brighter afterwards. It gets so much warmer and livelier, just like you!"_

 _They were nearing their home just about 5 blocks away. Suddenly, from out of a nearby alleyway, a man dressed in black came running towards them. He pulled out a gun in front of Masaki and Ichigo, halting their stroll. "Don't say anything or do anything. Just give me any money you have and no one has to get hurt." The man sounded angry and desperate. At that moment, time seemed to slow for Masaki. The only thought in her mind was of protecting her son from the imminent danger. She really only had two options: give the man what he wanted and hope he does nothing to harm them, or take a chance and try to fend him off, giving her son a chance to flee and call for help. As quickly as the situation started, she made her decision. She still had her pride to hold up, and she couldn't risk anything from chance._

" _Ichigo, run!" Masaki lunged at the man, attempting to overpower him and grab the gun from his hand. Turning her head, she yelled, "Go and run to a safe place. Hide and stay where you are until I find you. Go, now!"_

 _Ichigo was stunned. Not grasping the situation in his head completely, his body went on autopilot, and, soon enough, he dragged his feet and bolted away from the scene. At this point, he wasn't sure if he had started to tear from fear or if it was just the rain._

 _He soon found a place far enough and hid himself out of harm's way. It was a park, practically empty due to the rain coming down without relent. He found a green tube that kids would play in and huddled inside, shaking with a great intensity, allowing fear and anxiety to wash over him like the rain did to the area around him._

 _After about 10 minutes, he had a thought of going back home to tell his father, but he was too worried about his mother, his kind nature showing. He slowly walked back to where his mother was._

 _Despair was the only thing that showed in his wide eyes as he reached her. He saw a body on the ground, lifeless and unmoving. He quickly ran towards it and crouched down. There was no doubt in his head that this was indeed his mother, if the orange hair and white dress were anything to go by. He grabbed onto her, shaking her frantically, whispering. He tried to wake her up. Why else would she be on the ground? She had to be sleeping. There was just no way she could be…_

 _An ambulance quickly made it's way over to them. A passerby who noted the dead woman on the ground called it before Ichigo reached her. Paramedics marched out in quick strides, prying the boy off the lifeless body. The woman was declared dead on sight. They had apparently notified the boy's father, Isshin Kurosaki, since he arrived shortly after with his twin 4-year-old daughters. The paramedics quickly explained their hypothesis on what happened, and, along with the boy's reluctant testimony, confirmed their suspicions._

* * *

 _With the death of Masaki, the Kurosaki household became very quiet for a short time. Six months had gone by, and Ichigo became severely depressed from the loss. His father, Isshin, tried his best to keep the family alive after the tragedy. To him, it seemed like they would all pull through. Yuzu and Karin, the twins, were saddened at first, but quickly accepted the fact that their mother was gone. On the outside, Ichigo looked accepting as well. However, he still felt a pang of guilt deep inside. He felt as if he should have stayed with his mother to help her, to protect her. As if staying there would increase the chances of her survival. He soon developed the idea that his mother's death was his fault because he wasn't strong enough to protect her._

 _On the one year anniversary of the incident, they all went to Masaki's grave to pay respect and show their love and affection to their once living family member. The next day, Ichigo wandered to the park where he had hid on that fateful day, staring at the green tube where he coward in fear. Sitting on the swings nearby, he slowly rocked his body back and forth with little effort in a saddened state. Being preoccupied with his inner thoughts, he didn't even notice the presence of another person sitting on a swing next to his._

" _Hey!" Ichigo gasped at the sudden voice, turning wide eyed at the newcomer. The boy next to him looked no more than his own age, short blue locks rivaling the sky and cyan eyes as deep as an ocean. He wore a silver long sleeved shirt with the words "I'm tough" written in red on the center, blue shorts along his waistline, and simple blue, brand-named shoes. Ichigo didn't even realize he was staring until the voice appeared again, startling him._

" _Uh-uhm, sorry. What was that?"_

" _I asked you why you were all alone." Ichigo deadpanned and replied with a hint of sarcasm, "I could be asking you the same thing. If I wasn't here, wouldn't you be in the same position as me?"_

 _The boy laughed and gave a toothy grin. "Yeah, I guess you're right about that one. But then again, I only came out here because I saw you all alone here with this sad face, so I thought I could cheer you up. Sorry if I'm so upfront, since I don't even know you, but I felt inclined, ya know?"_

 _What's with this kid? He felt inclined? That was rich. He could have minded his own business and continued walking to wherever it was he was going. Ichigo was just fine. At least, that's what he wanted to believe. In truth, he was miserable. It was the day after the one year anniversary of his mother's death. Of course he was going to be sad, even if he didn't show it to his family. He had to be strong for them. He couldn't be weak, never again. "Well, thanks, I guess. But I didn't ask for your help, you know."_

 _The bluenette was slightly taken aback by that remark, but let it slide. He regained his composure and tried to find the source of the redhead's evident pain. "Well, if you don't mind me asking," he paused to look at brown eyes, almost like pools of chocolate. "Why are you here all alone and sad? It's such a nice day, so shouldn't you be playing or something?"_

 _A sigh escaped Ichigo's lips as he reluctantly answered, "There's nothing great about today. It is the day after my mother's death one year ago. So, I'm sorry if I'm not exactly living up to the normal 10-year-old ways." Blue eyes widened at hearing those words. His face fell into one of sadness and grief, but also understanding. "Oh, I'm sorry. I'm sure that's tough to deal with. Oh, I'm not trying to pity you or anything. I'm kinda bad at this type of stuff, hehe." The redhead let out a huff and bitterly glanced away._

 _Almost feeling defeated, the bluenet popped an idea into his head. "Hey, stay right here. I'll be back in a few minutes," he exclaimed with a grin. Ichigo, confused, watched the other boy retreat to God-knows-where. He did have to admit, the extra company wasn't exactly_ unwanted _. It kept his mind off of certain things. A few minutes later, the boy returned and shoved something in front of Ichigo's face. It was an ice cream cone with two scoops of blue ice cream. Puzzled, he looked at the other boy in front of him, seeing he had his own ice cream, orange in color instead of blue._

 _The boy smiled while licking his own cone. "I wanted to cheer you up. I hope you take my offer in blueberry ice cream. I didn't know what flavor you wanted, so I just went with our different hair colors!" The bluenette smiled widely, showing pure happiness and truth in his actions. For some reason, Ichigo felt a fluttering sensation below in his stomach. The ice cream was probably making him hungry, he deduced. Accepting the offer with a small smile, he took his cone and enjoyed his snack, along with the company of a complete stranger who he felt more relaxed with for some reason._

 _The two talked for a while, both laughing here and there over trivial topics. Ichigo gave away his name, feeling more comfortable around the other. They had talked so much that before they knew it, a good hour had passed by like nothing, the sun just about to set for the early evening._

 _Realizing he never learned this mystery boy's name, he decided it was about time to ask. It was only fair since he gave away his own name. "Hey, I never asked. What's your name? I mean, you know who I am now, so shouldn't I learn who you are?" Cyan eyes stared blankly before registering the question and giggled. "Oh, sorry about that. My name is-" Just then, a text tone cut the boy off as he searched for his phone in his pocket. Taking it out and silently reading the words on the screen, he let out a growl and huffed in annoyance. He got up and dusted himself off._

" _Sorry, but I gotta go. It's urgent." He turned to look into brown, confused eyes. If Ichigo saw correctly, he could have sworn that the other boy looked pale and sad, almost petrified to the core. What did he read on his phone? Did something happen? That must have been the case. Why else would the bluenette display such a worrisome face when, just seconds ago, he was brimming with confidence?_

 _"Oh, that's alright. M-maybe we can meet up again soon. Same place, same time?" The boy before him gave him a saddened expression with a weary smile before glancing away. "Yeah, maybe…Well, I gotta leave now. I hope I cheered you up. Goodbye…"_

 _Ichigo couldn't make any words back as he gaped, watching his seemingly new friend's back as he quickly walked away into the distance. With that, he sighed, only hoping he could actually meet with the boy again. He really did brighten his mood. That's when he realized he never got to hear what the other's name was. That saddened him a bit, but he'll learn the next time they meet, surely. Days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months, and, finally, months turned into years. The one person who made him smile after the incident, even if for a little bit, was nowhere to be found. Ichigo went back to the park every day on the same time for a whole year. Eventually, he became depressed at the truth. The truth that he wouldn't be seeing his new friend anymore. They wouldn't get the chance to meet and talk again._

 _He was gone._

* * *

AN: So, that just happened. Ok, so, please bear with me on this. I have this idea going on and I just had to write about it. This actually happens to be my first multi-chapter fic ever, as well as my very first uploaded fic onto fanfiction. So, while I am a bit nervous, I don't doubt myself as a capable writer. I just ask that you, as the readers, enjoy what I have to offer, and PLEASE review! I very do much enjoy any forms of constructive criticism because I take those into consideration when I write. So don't be afraid to speak to me about any ideas or topics about my new story, as well as anythings you guys might think can make it better! However, if you have something rude and demeaning to say to me, please refrain from doing so. I won't give up this story no matter what, but I wouldn't appreciate being slandered...food for thought :D. ANYWHO, that took longer than expected, so just sit back and enjoy the ride (hopefully)!


	2. Chapter 2

Omg, people actually followed and favorited my story?! For those who did, thanks so much for even taking your time! I'm literally gleaming with joy! *sobs* ANYWAY, just to let you all know, I _plan_ on updating this story at least one chapter a day, with the exceptions being weekends (because work and weekends do not work well together in my case...but who knows, maybe I'll do some surprise posts in the future lol).

 _Italics: thoughts, word stressing, or flashbacks_

 **Bold: sound effects** (mainly)

"Quotes": regular speech

Disclaimer: Again, I don't own Bleach or its characters. I mean, if I did, then Grimmjow and Ichigo would have been together for a _long_ time now XD.

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Chapter 2

 **BEEP BEEP BEEP**

 _That annoying sound is going to be the death of me, I swear._ Using his palm to force the alarm to shut off, the young man slowly lifted his head from his pillow, allowing his groggy gaze to fall upon the blaring red numbers. _It's only 7:32...wait. IT'S 7:32?! HOLY CRAP I'M LATE!_ With that, he quickly rushed to his bathroom and went straight to the shower, along with taking care of other needs. Afterwards, he put on plain boxers. followed by black skinny jeans, and a simple white button down. He refused to wear a tie, the school's uniform policy be damned.

As soon as he laced his shoes, he heard loud footsteps coming towards his door. "ICHIGO, MY BOY!" If by reflex alone, he timed a perfect dodge roll away from the large body that had practically flung itself through his door, while the other rammed right into the wall. "You need to learn when to give up, dad! For God's sake, you injured yourself trying to injure me, dumbass."

Isshin quickly recovered and stood upright with a grin on his bleeding face, stroking his semi-short, black hair up sheepishly. "Ah! You think this is all for fun, huh? It's more complicated than that. It's called TRAINING!"

Ichigo held a scowl and furrowed his eyebrows, "Yeah, well, I don't need any more of your 'training'. I can take care of myself perfectly fine. And anyway, you're wasting my time. I'm already late to school as it is." Taking that as his cue, Ichigo promptly left his room and headed downstairs. Yuzu, her light brown hair just above her shoulders, already made a full breakfast that was plastered on the table. Karin, her twin, was looking through her music playlist on her phone with a bored expression. Ichigo came to a quick halt, examining the two. "Jeez, aren't you alive and well," muttered Ichigo towards Karin, who merely glanced and shrugged, her straight, black hair touching her shoulders. Yuzu turned around and smiled warmly at her older brother.

"Ichigo! Good morning. I made breakfast for everyone. Are you excited to start your last year of school?"

"I can't complain too much about it. After all, it is my last year. Also, I'm sorry in advance, but I can't stay for breakfast this time. I'm actually running late." Looking at his phone, which now read 7:56, he quickly bolted out the kitchen, yelling out a quick goodbye before exiting his home.

* * *

Walking to school was pretty uneventful. The same could be said when Ichigo got inside the building. Karakura High wasn't all that special, and the people sure weren't exactly super important. If anything, that school had nothing but weirdos. But, like any other person out there, weirdos were also just living their lives. One thing the redhead had in common with the rest of them.

By the time he entered the school's library, his group of friends already chatting about at their usual table, it was already 8:15. There was only ten minutes left until first period started. The redhead groaned, casually dropping his bag onto the floor and sitting next to his friends, who just noticed that he even arrived. "Ichigo, what's up man? You look beat. Did you finally crack like that crazy ass father of yours?" Looking up at his long time friend, he squinted his eyes at him and sighed. Renji Abarai, with those ridiculous tattoos on his forehead, was always getting on Ichigo's last nerve. This morning was obviously no exception.

"Renji, do me a favor and put a sock in it. I overslept and I'm just glad I got here with a few minutes to spare."

Renji scoffed and raked at his long, red hair. "Woops, forgot how touchy you can be this early. Rukia, remind me why we hang out with him again?" Rukia Kuchiki, the petite young woman, perked up at her name, her short, black hair bobbing up and down from the sudden movement. She snickered at Renji's question before replying, "You act like as if you're any better. How do you think you two have been friends for so long? You two are so alike it's not even funny at this point."

"We are nothing alike!" both yelled in unison.

"My point exactly,"

Ichigo then looked around, confusion on his face. "Hey, where are Uryuu, Chad, and Orihime? Weren't they with you two?"

"Actually, Uryuu had to go to an important first-day meeting with the sewing club. Orihime and Chad went to their first period early because they had to study for an entrance test in a couple minutes," replied Renji with a bored expression. "Honestly, sometimes I want to call those three nerds, but I know that Uryuu is intelligent by default, Chad is as big and buff as you can get, and Orihime is just plain out gorgeous. Not exactly my taste, but gorgeous nonetheless."

Ichigo gave a side smirk toward his friend knowingly. "Yeah, definitely not your type. Unlike another friend of ours we know of." Renji's face grew into so many shades of red, rivaling his own hair. "Shut up, dude! Are you trying to expose me, dip-shit?!"

The tattooed male completely forgot the fact that Rukia, his crush, was right next to them. He was only digging himself a deeper hole, much to Ichigo's amusement. Unfortunately, Rukia didn't get the message, only sporting a confused expression and asking Renji the who's, how's, and when's, much to the male's dismay. Ichigo deeply sighed and facepalmed. _God, both of these idiots are so dense to their feelings for each other._ With that, the bell rang throughout the school, signaling 8:25 - the start of first period.

* * *

As usual, Ichigo was bored. Extremely bored. Having calculus for first period didn't help with his lack of sleep. Don't get him wrong. It's not like he was bad in calculus. Math, in general, was actually one of his best subjects; but having it right at the start of the day wasn't appealing. Looking away from Mr. Kuchiki, his teacher and Rukia's older brother, he watched Renji to his left mess around with his pencil like the little kid he really was. Ichigo mentally rolled his eyes at the other redhead. This act wasn't usually amusing, but Ichigo found himself smiling at the mundane childishness of his friend for once.

Conveniently, the class became a lot less boring a few seconds later. The door was opened, revealing the school's head counselor, Jushiro Ukitake, walking in to talk to Mr. Kuchiki. The class was whispering, wondering what exactly happened that the head counselor had to come himself. After a minute, Kuchiki nodded and watched Ukitake leave the room. As soon as he exited, someone else entered. The first thing Ichigo noticed was blue. _Blue hair and blue eyes…? Did this guy just get here from the circus or something? Although...he is kinda hot._

It was no stranger to anyone that Ichigo was gay. He had known since the age of 14, proclaiming it to all he knew, daring anyone to say something about it. His peers knew better than to make any remarks. Seeing as Ichigo was personally trained by his father in judo, along with joining judo lessons, where he met close friend Tatsuki Arisawa, it wasn't exactly a smart idea to get on his bad side. So everyone accepted it immediately.

And yet, Ichigo had never been so bug-eyed over another man's looks before. Not only were his blue locks as bright as the sky and his eyes being able to capture anyone like the crashing ocean waves, but he was built. He wasn't like one of those grotesquely built guys with large biceps or anything like that, but he was perfectly shaped up. His clothing, a slim fitting pair of dark blue jeans and a light blue button down, hugged him tightly, but not uncomfortably, it seemed. He was literally a walking adonis, and that was something Ichigo couldn't just ignore. But through all of that, the mysterious man had a total look of disinterest. In fact, he may very well not have wanted to be there at all. So the question was: why was he there?

"Everyone, this is our new student who just came back to Japan from Germany. Please introduce yourself to the class."

Looking around, the man simply groaned and rolled his eyes. "My name's Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez. Cool, we done here?" he asked the teacher unceremoniously.

"Yes, thank you Grimmjow. It seems there's only one empty seat left. Go and sit next to Mr. Kurosaki near the back." Grunting, the man, now known as Grimmjow, quietly strolled through the seat aisles until reaching the only empty spot in view. Sitting down, he glanced at Ichigo to his left. _Hmph. It's him...So that's how he looks like after all these years, huh?_

Ichigo, feeling the gaze directed at him, turned slightly and carefully engaged. "Uh, hey." Keeping the rather indifferent expression, Grimmjow simply saluted with two fingers together.

There was something eerily familiar about Grimmjow, but he couldn't, for the life of him, figure out why. _Have I met him before? Or am I just going crazy…_

Deciding not to dwell too much, he figured he'd let the feeling go for now. With that, the class, along with the rest of the day, continued with nothing else of real importance going on.

* * *

AN: So, this may seem slow for some at first, but I'm trying to develop certain things before I can actually get to the root of what's going on, such as why Grimm left, and how him and Ichigo stand with each other atm. So, if I seem slow at first, it'll get faster pretty soon, so don't worry! And like I said before, if anyone has any suggestions for certain things, like how to speed the story up or maybe a few ideas, I'm honestly all ears. I like to see other people's opinions because it may give me an opportunity to use those ideas into my story to make it all the more better! So please, don't be shy! Lol.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Don't own anything except this story idea.

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Chapter 3

Two weeks. It only took two weeks for Grimmjow to get underneath Ichigo's skin. To say Ichigo was annoyed was a major understatement. Not only did they have share four out of eight periods with each other, but Grimmjow, for some reason, was literally _everywhere_ Ichigo was, almost as if he has been intentionally following him. At first, it was nothing more than the occasional awkward staring during classes. Then, within four days, Rukia had the _brilliant_ idea of asking Grimmjow to eat lunch with them. For some reason, despite having such a bored expression during class, he gave a small grin and gladly accepted her offer, eyes gleaming in Ichigo's direction. _What the hell is that about?_

The next week, Professor Grantz had made the two become lab partners in their physics class, since he went off the student roster, and J came right before K. Of course, while in the classroom, his bored expression was at its fullest, so you can only imagine how much help Ichigo got in any of his labs that week.

Finally, what took the prize home, was the fact that Grimmjow so happened to live right around the corner from Ichigo. No, literally, _right around the corner_. And since they shared their last period with each other, and they both went straight home as soon as they were dismissed, Ichigo was never truly alone for his walk home anymore, with Grimmjow always leaving a few feet of distance between them.

Words were rarely exchanged between them, besides the few "hellos" and grunts of acknowledgement. In Ichigo's head, he really had no reason to be bothered by the bluenette, considering that they had barely even spoken to each other in those first two weeks. However, there was something that just made him feel uneasy about Jaegerjaquez; if his weird feeling on the first day of school was any indication of that.

During the weekend, Ichigo spent some time in his thoughts about the matter. He decided, much against his own feelings, that he would stop being so quiet and hostile towards the bluenette, and actually make an effort to befriend him, seeing as he was the only one of his _own_ friends to not fully accept the man's presence. He knew, deep down, that he was just being an immature brat who was judging someone based off an unexplainable feeling. If he wanted to have a great senior year, he would have to make an effort to _not_ make any new enemies.

* * *

Starting with the new Monday morning, as Grimmjow was about to take his seat, the redhead next to him suddenly started a conversation with him. He barely had any time to register the fact that he was spoken to. Let alone, by the redhead himself. Coming out of his stupor, he questionably turned his head and stared at him for a good five seconds before asking, "Did you say something to me?"

"I said hey. And I asked if you were free later. There's a small party going on at Orihime's to celebrate her birthday, even though it was last weekend. It's gonna be right after school, so you free?" Wide blue studied the friendly smile of the other who was, apparently, inviting him somewhere. _This is completely random. Why the sudden change of demeanor towards me?_ Realizing he had yet to respond, he slightly turned his gaze away from looking at the other and dejectedly declined.

"Hmph. Sorry, but I gotta be somewhere today." Looking back, he saw that Ichigo's expression had somewhat deflated, almost as if he was disappointed. _Disappointed at what? Just 'cause I said no?_ "Give my regards to Orihime for me, ok?" he quickly added.

Ichigo chuckled in reply. "You'll see her during lunch, you spazz. Remember?"

"Oh yeah, I guess you're right...Wait, who you callin' a spazz?!" He was bewildered when Ichigo let out a full blown laugh. "Tsk." A blush fought its way onto his face, but he quickly hid it with forced annoyance.

* * *

Starting the tread to his home from Orihime's, he deeply sighed as he recalled the events from earlier in the day. He tried to get Grimmjow to open up in the morning, but he barely managed to get anywhere. He made a second attempt during their lunch period, hoping the company of more friends around would aid him. Unfortunately, with his friends' recklessness and loud voices, he was barely able to make the bluenette notice him. By the end of the day, he practically gave up for the time being. _This is going to be a lot harder than I thought. Not like I was expecting much of a reaction right away, but damn._

Taking the normal route home, he stopped when he reached the side entrance of the park. Smiling, he took in the aura of the memorable place. The place that acts both as a refuge and a solid reminder of darker days. For some reason, if only for a moment, he recalled a memory of a silhouetted figure the size of a boy, with the colors around it swirling a distinct shade of blue. _Blue…_ Composing himself, he looked around and spotted the last person he thought he'd see.

There was Grimmjow, sitting on one of the swings with his head low and his palms on his face. Frowning, the redhead walked towards him and cleared his throat. Grimmjow became tense and hesitantly looked up at the newcomer. With a raised eyebrow, Ichigo asked the first thing that popped into his head. "Are you ok, Grimmjow? Why are you here all alone?"


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Again, own nada. Tite Kubo is the man.

* * *

Chapter 4

He chuckled halfheartedly while looking back down. "Would you believe me if I confessed to asking you the same exact question eight years ago?" he whispered.

"What was that?"

Sighing, he mentally gave up. _Guess there's no point, he really doesn't remember at all._ "Nothing, just talking to myself." He looked up again and gestured the redhead to the swing next to him. Ichigo gave a weary stare, obviously dumbfounded by the odd invitation. "Just sit down, will ya?" Finally sitting beside him, it was deafly silent for the next few minutes. Oddly enough, Ichigo didn't feel uncomfortable from it, but, rather, he was enjoying the silence. He grimaced from the thought, wondering why it was exactly that made him feel like he had no worries whenever he was near Grimmjow.

"You know," Grimmjow began, "I'm actually flattered that you guys are going out of your way in trying to be my friends." He stopped, taking a deep breath. "But, it's really not necessary."

Ok, now he was utterly confused at that. "What the hell are you talking about? How is trying to make a new friend unnecessary? If anything, it would be messed up if everyone just ignored you from the get-go."

"Isn't that what you were doing for the most part?"

Gulping, he held a guilty expression. "Yeah, I did. I'm sorry about that, by the way. I was being stubborn and an asshole towards you when you didn't even do anything, but now I'm trying to fix that. Through what I've witnessed so far, you don't seem like a bad person, and everyone else was quick to take you in as if they had known you for years. And now, I'm finally trying to make the effort, so don't go telling me what's necessary or not."

Staring back at him, Grimmjow didn't know how to respond to that. He was definitely not expecting an answer like that from him. He studied the other's features. Brows downward, gleaming determination written on his face. Those deep, chocolate colored eyes that have haunted his thoughts for the past eight years, always a constant reminder of what he left - what he _had_ to part with. _If only things were different back then, maybe we could've…_

"Hmph. You wouldn't even want to be near me if you knew what I've done."

"Says who, exactly?"

 _I said that out loud?_ "Don't fool yourself. You don't understand anything. Did you know that I used to live here? I didn't always live in Germany, but ever since that scumbag did _that_ \- I had to protect her." _I had to leave you when you suffered the most._

"It's funny, really. You say I don't understand anything. Well, if that's true, then let me understand. You can talk to me." He smiled, words filled with compassion for the bluenette. "I know I don't really know you, nor you me. But that's fine. I can still be a friend to you, only if you want one."

Eyes closed, he took those words to heart. After what seemed like an eternity, Grimmjow finally allowed himself to form a genuine smile. "Ok then. What do you want to know?"

"Well, for starters, when was the last time you lived here, and why did you leave?"

"Hmm. I left about eight years ago. As to why, well, I have to go back in order for you to understand. When I was three, my parents were killed due to a fire that had started at their workplace. They were both very successful business people who worked under the popular organization called Hueco Mundo. Their origins were from Germany, but they had many branch offices all around the globe, Japan included. My parents had been transferred to a small town near Karakura from Germany, so we lived here. Anyway, after they died, my sister and I had nowhere to live, so we were taken into foster care for about two years."

"Wait, sorry to interrupt, but you have a sister?"

"Yeah. She's four years older than me. Anyway, after two years living under foster care, the owner and founder of the company had come to us and adopted us, saying that he was an old friend of our parents. So, from then on, we were under his care. However, it was a hell on earth for us both, especially my sister. Our new guardian, whose name was Sosuke Aizen, was very cruel to us both. He constantly yelled at us, beat us, treated us like shit. This went on for years. When I was ten, we moved to Germany because he was away from the main headquarters of the company for too long. Even then, not much changed about our living conditions. I knew, for the sake of both myself and my sister's wellbeing, we had to leave. We couldn't stay with Aizen any longer, but that was easier said than done. We couldn't do anything. Aizen had many resources, and was a very powerful man, so I couldn't think of a way to get us out. That is, until that happened…"

It became quiet again. Ichigo was taking all of this in like a sponge, and was boggled by the insane amount of information. However, he became very troubled when Grimmjow's tone changed at the last second. "...What exactly happened…?"

It was the evilest expression he had ever seen in his life. The fury in Grimmjow's eyes was very much alive and raging out, like a vicious panther who had just gotten out of its cage. "When he had the audacity to break hurt her with his actions. My sister, Nelliel."


	5. Chapter 5

I'M BACK! Sorry for the inconvenience. There were people that made these fake websites and literally stole every single written story on . Like, _every single one_. It was disgraceful. So, in case people were wondering, I decided not to post anything until the websites were taken down and the issue was resolved. And as of yesterday, it was! Yay ^o^ Well, on that note, here's three chapters on a Sunday night (GASP! Three chaps on a weekend). I'm literally thinking of my ideas for the sixth chapter now, but probs won't write anything till tomorrow cuz it's late and I'm tired. ANYWAY, without any further ado, here you lovely people go!

Disclaimer: Honestly, this always seems redundant, but I do this to make it a point. Only thing I own is the actual story, not Bleach.

* * *

Chapter 5

Ichigo stood under the shower head, letting his thoughts take over the time. He held a solemn expression as he recounted his conversation from earlier. When he had approached Grimmjow at the park, he definitely did not expect him to open up like that, especially since it was only today that Ichigo just revealed his intentions of becoming his friend.

 _Seeing that the sun was setting, Grimmjow got up from the swing and turned away from the redhead. "It's getting late. I gotta be home before she wakes up."_

 _Getting up himself, he placed a comforting hand on the bluenette's shoulder. "I understand. Listen, don't think I don't care, or that you telling me all this was pointless. I'm here for you, whether you like it or not, alright?"_

" _Yeah, thanks," came the saddened reply. With that, he shrugged the hand off and walked off into the distance, leaving the other behind._

Shutting off the water, he stepped out and dried himself, putting a pair of boxers and light sweats soon after. Finally in bed, he hadn't actually realized until that moment how drained he was. He hoped that, with the sudden development between the two, he could be more involved in the newly made relationship with Grimmjow. He had meant what he said to him before, and he didn't plan on abandoning him anytime soon. And the questionable familiarity of the blue headed adonis was still plaguing his thoughts. Deciding not to dwell any longer, sleep quickly enveloped him.

* * *

Reaching his run-down, cheap apartment, he let out a deep sigh. He felt lighter. Normally, he would think twice about exposing such sensitive information to some classmate, but Ichigo was different. With him, he felt like he could tell him anything and still be safe, all while allowing many weights off his shoulders. He could trust him - he has since the moment he met him. _Heh. I, way too easily, let myself…_

Stopping his train of thought, he opened his door and closed it with his foot. Leaving his shoes next to it, he sauntered to the kitchen and, opening his fridge, grabbed two of the nearest drinks in there. He then went to one of the rooms and lightly knocked on the door.

"Hey, you awake?"

He waited for a minute, and, after getting no response, slowly opened the door to peek inside the room. There, covered in lightly floral-patterned covers, lie a female with long, emerald-green hair soundly asleep. Smiling, Grimmjow quietly walked to the bedside and tapped the other's arm. Stirring, she groaned a bit before revealing hazel eyes, staring groggily at cyan eyes.

"Hi, Grimm. What time is it?"

"Just passed 7:30. How ya feeling?"

Snorting, she used some effort to place her feet onto the floor to sit upright. "Come on, I know that I'm still healing, but I'm not fragile. Give me some more credit, Grimmy."

Laughing, he looked at her with a sad expression. "I'm just worrying about ya, is all. I can't think about my sister, now? Speaking of which, here. Gotchu your favorite: straight-from-the-fridge chocolate milk, while I gulp my ginger ale happily!"

"Oh God, you should really give it a rest with that. Too much ginger ale doesn't help anyone." She took the chocolate milk into her hands and slowly sipped. "Enough about how I am. I haven't asked yet, how has school been for you?"

"Boring as shit. God, I had completely forgotten how standard education bored the life out of me. The only good part about it all are the few people who're actually willing to talk to me. Normally, I don't even like attention; go figure."

She smiled, then hesitated before asking her brother her next question. "What about him? Have you talked to him at all?"

Sighing, he relented. "Yeah, I have. We actually talked today. It was some pretty deep shit, but I felt comfortable talking to him."

"So, did you tell him yet?" No response. He knew exactly what she was referring to. "I'll take your silence as a no. Come on, Grimm, you can't beat around the bush like this forever. You have to tell him. How do you expect to be happy if you don't?"

"I'm giving him the chance to remember for himself."

"And what does that do for you right now? Look, I get why you're holding out, but there's a point where you gotta just let it out to him. Memories be damned. I know you care about him, hell, even _love_ him."

Looking away, he grunted in response. After seconds of silence, he retorted, "He'll never want to be with someone like me. A killer. A murderer."

Eyes swelling up, but not losing her confidence, she urged on. "You don't know that. He doesn't strike me as someone who'll judge. Besides, that's all in the past. We're here now, Grimm. No more Espadas, no more Hueco Mundo," she grimaced, "no more Aizen."

"Do _not_ say that name! Scum like him don't even deserve recognition. After he hurt you, did those things to you, that fucker got what he deserved. I hope he'll burn in hell forever, spending eternity in fire, just like how he met his end by me."

Shaking her head, she moved closer to him and closed her hand around his. "Yes, he beat me. He beat me senseless, took my innocence from me, and then discarded me like yesterday's sloppy seconds. And yet, I'm still here. I'm alive, thanks to you. We got away, and he's dead. That's all that matters now. You have to let go now, Grimmjow. Not just for Ichigo or myself, but for your own conscience. It's over. We started our new lives, back in our old hometown. So let's keep our heads up. And I'm getting better. In fact, the doctor told me earlier that I should be in top shape in about another month. So, with that being said, can you at least try to stand tall with me?"

Taking it all in, Grimmjow slicked his hair back, only for it to fall over again. He couldn't say no to her. "Ok. I'll try my best, for you."

"And for a certain berry head, you oblivious and clueless dummy."

They both let a laugh out, finally breaking the tense aura of the conversation. Yawning, he decided to go to bed, since he still had school the next morning, and he was beyond exhausted. It had been a long day for him, that was apparent. Getting up, he brought the other's face towards his own and kissed her on the forehead, walking right after to the door. Before closing it behind him, he turned back to seeing her form relax again under the covers.

"Goodnight, Grimmy. I love you."

"Love you too, Nel. Sweet dreams."

Reaching his room, he opted in waking earlier the next morning to shower. Taking his clothes off, nothing but boxers on, he curled under the blankets and thought back to his departure from the park.

" _I'm here for you, whether you like it or not, alright?"_

 _Hmph. Real funny, Strawberry. Wouldn't want it any other way._ The corners of his lips twitched upward slightly, as he was taken into the darkness of rest.

* * *

"I have sighted the target. Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez, formerly known as the Sexta, has been spotted in Karakura town."

A voice on the other line snickered. "Good. Any other information worth mentioning?"

"He is currently enrolled in the local high school. He seems to have affiliated himself with a group of common high schoolers. His attention is mainly attracted towards a boy with orange looking hair, for the most part. I'm afraid further observation is needed to conclude the kind of relationship he holds with him."

"Hmm. Try to gain more information on this orange haired fellow, if you can. In the meantime, keep closer watch on Jaegerjaquez. We will make our move when the opportunity arises."

"Copy that. Cuatra signing out."

As soon as the line from Quatra went dead, the mysterious figure chuckled darkly. "Soon, Grimmjow, you will pay. For Lord Aizen's death."

* * *

AN: Whew. That took a bit out of me. Well, looks like Grimm and Ichi are finally gonna be friends. Hurray! Now, if only a few certain people won't get in the way of these two so they can be together in peace...oh, who am I kidding? I'm obviously going to make this hard on them both XD.

Side note: POOR NEL! ;n;


	6. Chapter 6

*Sigh* So, I know I haven't updated for like a whole week now, but I have a few reasons for that. First off, I got a crazy stomach virus last Tuesday (like srsly, why). Then, when I was finally feeling better, I had to catch up on more homework than I expected. Like, I wasn't expecting so much work just from missing two days. And here I thought my senior year was going through hassle free. But now that that's all out of the woods, I'm back! Sorry, this chapter is mostly fillerish, but you guys get to see Ichigo and Grimmjow be dorks and assholes to each other XD. Other than that, please enjoy! ^o^

Disclaimer: I own nothing...

* * *

 **Tap**

 _Ok, so the derivative of 4x is 4..._

 **Tap tap**

 _Then, you take the sine of forty-five, which is the square root of two over two…_

 **Tap tap tap tap tap**

 _Now multiply that by ten and you get…_

"Psst."

"OH MY GOD, WOULD YOU SHUT UP ALREADY?!"

Blinking, he rose his hands in surrender. "Whoa, calm down. I was only gonna ask 'bout this problem. I don't really get it, y'know?"

"Grimmjow, could you be anymore louder? It's so goddamn annoying and distracting with you tapping your pencil on your desk! Unlike you, I'm actually trying to do my work here."

With a sly grin, he replied, "Aww, that's not fair! I really need your help. Why you gotta be so mean to me, eh Berry?"

"Save it! I know your game; you're just trying to annoy me, so back off. And I told you not to call me that, dammit!"

Beside the bickering duo, Renji turned to face the bald, young teen sitting next to him and sighed. "Man, they've been at it for three months now. Honestly, do they ever even stop to breathe?"

Ikkaku, laughing loudly, brought up a finger to wipe a tear. "Can't you see it, Ren? The way they argue non-stop like that, yet always hang around each other. It's like they're a married couple, I swear! They're so dense."

Barely dodging the pencil that was aimed at him, Ikkaku stared at Ichigo. The redhead had veins of anger blooming, his ever-present scowl growing in intensity, his next words quiet yet fierce. "Ikkaku, shut the fuck up. I'm not in the mood, as you can tell. I'm already dealing with one annoying pest, so don't antagonize me." Gulping, both Ikkaku and Renji turned their heads away, pretending to whistle. With Grimmjow snickering in the background, the one-sided argument only continued.

It has been a few months since the day both Ichigo and Grimmjow reached an agreement with each other. After their long conversation at the park, becoming friends was more natural than Ichigo had expected. They would constantly be with each other when given the opportunity, always sitting next to each other during lunch, and even visit each other's homes. It was a little awkward for Ichigo when he met Nel, given what he knew, but that feeling quickly faded with her zealous attitude. If anything, it was more awkward, and _painful_ , when Grimmjow encountered Ichigo's family for the first time. That kick to the head, courtesy of Isshin, was not soft at all.

Still, they both clicked well beyond the scope of anybody's expectations. They were also happier whenever they were spending time together. Granted, Renji was still Ichigo's best friend. They were practically brothers. However, there was just something about the bluenette that drew him closer, wanting more of his presence. It was a bit strange for him, to say the least.

Pushing that aside, there were still dangers coming from all around. Buried skeletons of the past were quickly rising again, coming after the Grimmjow with a vengeance. And, unfortunately, Ichigo was just at the wrong places at the wrong times. He would get sucked into a world that Grimmjow so desperately hoped he didn't encounter; one in which Ichigo's very life would be at stake.

* * *

"Your report?"

"Sir, the experimental drug will be completed within the coming weekend. We are kicking out the remaining kinks to it as we speak."

"Very good. As long as we keep this up, we will be able to unleash it unto the unexpected population. Once that's finished, we can move forward. Excellent work, Octava. You are dismissed. And how are things going on your end, Cuatra?"

"I believe we have the sufficient amount of data to carry out our disposal plan. It will be quick and simple."

"Splendid. Carry on."

Looking at the monitors in front of him, he took a moment of silence, pondering his next move. With a serious expression, he stood firm as he watched the many images of a blue-headed figure, along with many others. A notable one who clung to the bluenette in many surveillance missions, the fiery redhead, was shown in most of the images. With a small smile, he carefully whispered to himself, "So, what will our first move be? It's almost time, Grimmjow."

* * *

"I'm going to stay at your house tonight."

Looking at the redhead next to him, he lifted an eyebrow in confusion. "Uhm...and why, exactly, you gonna do that outta nowhere?"

Laughing, he continued walking towards his friend's apartment. "Goatface is being shitty annoying again, and I honestly need a break from that household once in awhile. Besides, it's been some time since I've been over. Got a problem with that?"

"Nah," he answered, indifferently. "S'cool, I guess. Nel's been dyin' to see ya anyway. I swear, I can never understand that woman's obsession with you."

"You're telling me! No offence, but your sister's tits squeeze the life out of me, to the point where I sometimes can't breathe. But, to be honest, anything sounds better than being home right now."

Reaching the apartment, Ichigo was on the ground faster than he could blink. "Itsygo! I'm so happy to see you!"

"N-Nel, can't bre-"

"Holy Christ, Nel, get off of him already! Let the man breathe. It's bad enough that he has to deal with his retarded father who decides trying to kill him daily is good parenting. And I know you're better now, but do ya have to be so damn jumpy?"

"Hmph! Killjoy." She slowly helped Ichigo up, bowing apologetically. "Oh yeah. I got you those popsicles you wanted, Grimm. They're in the freezer."

"That's right, thanks! I completely forgot about them." Walking over to the couch, he slumped his body onto it and laid completely laxed. "Hey Ichigo, buddy ol' friend. Wanna be a pal and get me a popsicle? I'm too tired to get up now."

"You dumbass, get your own shit. I'm not your servant."

"Don't be a bitch. Get me a damn popsicle, already. And I want the red one."

"So fucking annoying…" Opening the freezer, he grabbed two popsicles and unwrapped them from their casings. He was expecting two red ones, but he must have grabbed a blue one as well. Staring at the treats before him, he was suddenly brought into a state of subconscious. Everything was black around him, and he couldn't see ahead of himself. "Where the hell am I?"

Then, he was dragged into a depressing scenery. He didn't really understand why he felt depressed, but there was something about this that made him feel that way. Where was he? Was he hallucinating?

He finally realized that he was at the local park, except it didn't look like how it did today. Everything seemed younger. In the distance, he could see two figures on the pair of swings. One was himself as a child, the other a black silhouette. The black silhouette walked away for about a minute, but then returned holding two objects. Upon closer inspection, he could make out two ice cream cones. Then, the figure opened his mouth, words coming out.

" _I wanted to cheer you up. I hope you take my offer in blueberry ice cream. I didn't know what flavor you wanted, so I just went with our different hair colors!"_ _That voice!_ Ichigo was pulled out of his trance from hearing his name being called out. "Oi! What's takin' so long?"

Staring down at his hands clenched around the sticks, he loosened up and steadied his breathing. "Sorry, I got distracted," he whispered back.

"Hmm? What's wrong? You look tense, like something just happened to you." Ichigo shook his head, claiming it to be nothing. "Uh, well ok, then. Come on, I still have to pay ya back for the last time you beat me at my own game!"

Faking a smile, he wordlessly followed, as he grew frustrated from the situation. _What was that about? A memory? But...that voice. It sounded so familiar, but who was it? Why can't I remember anything?_

* * *

"Decimo! Noveno!" Two figures walked in the room, bowing respectively. "It is time we made our move. I order you two to go out and capture Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez, alive. If there is any resistance, be it from him or from outside forces, do whatever you can to dispose of the resistance. But do not execute the target, under any means. That job is mine alone."

"Of course, sir," replied the two, rising from their position and exiting the room.

"We are coming for you, Grimmjow. _I_ am coming!"

* * *

AN: One of you guys had asked what Cuatra meant (as in which number). So, just to get any confusion out of the way, here are all the numbers from zero through tenth that I'll be using in their Spanish format.

Cero: Zero

Primera: First

Segunda: Second

Tres: Third

Cuatro(a): Fourth

Quinto: Fifth

Sexta: Sixth

Septima: Seventh

Octava: Eighth

Noveno: Ninth

Decimo: Tenth

And with that, hopefully nobody will be confused anymore as to who's what lol. (I also realized I mispelled Cuatra in the last chapter. I used a Q instead of a C, woops. But it's alright! I fixed it XD)


	7. Chapter 7

Did I ever mention how much I hated school? No? Well, let me tell you how my last week went. Test after test after test. It. Was. ANNOYING! God, I couldn't have a single moment to myself where I wasn't about to fall asleep. Idk what happened last week, cuz my senior year has been easy going so far. It's like all of my teachers decided to play this game of "let's torture our students this week". Ugh! *rant over*

Anyway, hope no one gets confused by this chapter. I finally felt it to be the right time to implement this part of the story. And yet, ironically, I was listening to The Last Journey (aka The Final Journey) on repeat from ff xiii-2's soundtrack when I typed this chapter up. Oh well, I guess it brings this chapter to life lol. Plus the piano work in that song is beautiful. And the song itself is beautiful. If anyone doesn't know about this song or ff xiii-2 (or if you do), then I say you should listen to this song on repeat while you read this chapter (if it takes you that long to repeat...). I personally think it makes it more...meaningful? Eh, something along those lines XD.

Now, back to the show!

Disclaimer: I no own anything. Just dis story and it's ideas. oke.

* * *

" _Huh? Where am I? Everything's so dark. So dark, and cold. It's too cold here. What's going on?"_

 _Floating through the darkness. An empty void. At least, that what Ichigo figured. In fact, he didn't really know where this place was. But he felt such a deep sense of loneliness that it made the temperature around him seem to drop. In truth, it wasn't the space that was cold - it was Ichigo himself that was cold. He felt like someone had dropped him off into the deepest, darkest pit in a frozen tundra, with nothing to shelter him. Everything was pitch black. A never-ending darkness that stretched as far as he could see. He could see himself, but that was about it._

 _Landing on what seemed to be solid ground, Ichigo started to walk the only way possible - forward. He was walking for a long time, almost like an eternity, when he suddenly started to see a small light. As he got closer, he realized that the light was actually a white door. Stretching his hand toward the door, he noticed that he felt warmer within the vicinity of it. Curious, he put his palm on the door, feeling a warmth like he has never felt before. It wasn't a searing type of heat, but rather a comforting one. It was strange, to say the least. Grasping the knob, he turned it and slowly opened it._

 _Walking inside was a whole new experience. There were walls that stretched down a very long hallway. On the walls were these images, almost like paintings, that were moving about. As he looked, Ichigo quickly realized that they were battle scenes playing on replay. Upon further inspection, he deduced that these were not just battle scenes, but they were in fact, major catastrophes. And, for some reason, he saw himself in each and every single one of them._

 _Scene after scene, battle after battle, tragedy after tragedy. He recognized a few of these, like something straight out of a history textbook. Was this some kind of timeline of Earth? What does it mean? More importantly, why do all of these show Ichigo himself in them? Suddenly, something caught his eye. A person, also in the images, was always with "him". The thing that seemed to confuse him the most was the fact that the other person had strikingly blue hair. He was always helping "him" in whatever battle or tragic event taking place. And the end of every image showed the same, common trend: The blue headed one dying right before the orange headed one, the latter seeming to scream in sorrow and agony, then also dying shortly after._

" _Is that...me? And is this other person...Grimmjow?!" He started to run. He ran as fast as he could. There had to be a point where he reached his own time, right? If this was, in fact, he and Grimmjow, then what fate was there for them now? As he ran, he passed many more images of the same ending. Death, death, more death. The two people always dying in their different time periods._

 _He eventually reached what seemed to be an end to the hallway. That would only mean he finally reached the current era. He looked upon the remaining image on the edge, like a canvas in a museum. For some reason, this image looked broken, with many cracks and tears on it as opposed to the ones before. He walked closer to see what it contained. He could tell right away that this was the current world, with the buildings and technology all about. However, it wasn't right. There was something very off about this world._

 _Destruction was everywhere. Burning cities, people screaming for their lives, running from other creatures that resembled humans, but were monsters all the same. The skies were filled with red smoke, blood was on every corner, death was all around. It wasn't just in one area - the images were switching from each and every major city. New York, Paris, Rome, Hong Kong, Egypt, Rio, Tokyo; they all had a similar look to them. They were all gone, with their remnants nothing more than dust. Finally, the image ended with a short scene of one redhead and one bluenette, dying in an embrace, while a vile laugh filled the air from a figure, clad in white robes, standing before their dead bodies. With that, the image abruptly ended._

 _Ichigo didn't move. He couldn't. Not after witnessing those horrendous series of events. Ones that involved him and Grimmjow, apparently. Unable to take the pressure of gravity any longer, he let himself fall to the ground in a trance-like state. Was this how the world was going to end? All of that chaos...was there no way of changing it?_

" _No...this isn't possible. This is absolutely insane!" he screamed loudly above. "Is this how it all ends? How am I supposed to take this? And what about my friends, my family...Grimmjow…"_

 _For all intents and purposes, Ichigo had no reason to believe any of this. However, something deep and innate in him was convincing him that this was, in fact, the absolute truth. This was how the world was going to end._

" _Is there no way we can change this…?" he whispered, solemnly._

" _There is a way, my child."_

 _Gasping, he quickly rose to his feet, shaking his head around in search of the mysterious voice. "Who said that? Who's there?"_

" _Calm down, Ichigo. There is a way to change these events of the near future." The image in front of him suddenly started to repair itself, with a few cracks gone and some tears mended. "I have used the little stored power that I have kept within your subconscious to repair some of the image. It isn't much, but now you should be able to see a second outcome. Take a look again."_

 _Hesitantly, Ichigo touched the image, with it reacting to the contact. The images he saw before replayed themselves again, with the same ending as before. However, it didn't just end like the last time. This time, there was an image of a meadow that stretched along a wide plain, with vibrant green grass and plant life, the sky a shining blue. A few feet away was a person standing with his back facing toward Ichigo, the wind blowing around smoothly._

" _Grimmjow?"_

 _Almost as if he heard, the figure turned around and faced him. His eyes were smudged out, but the blue hair was definitely a dead giveaway. With a soft, earnest smile, the other stretched a hand out, reaching towards him. "Took ya long enough. I've been waiting. We've_ all _been waiting." Once again, the image went black._

" _What the hell was that? What happened to the world being ruined?"_

" _That is the possible ending that will happen, should you prevent the events beforehand from leading the world into chaos. The image is not yet restored, however, so you cannot see the decisions you will have to make to prevent such a tragic end. You will have to figure them out on your own. Now go. See to it that the world is saved, along with your precious one. My presence is now fading, so I must take my leave."_

" _Wait, hold -"_

" _Goodbye, my dearest Ichigo. I will always love you."_

 _His vision going blurry, he was being pulled back into the darkness. He felt like he was being forced into a deep sleep. Before he went out, he breathed one final statement: "That was…"_


	8. Chapter 8

Ugh. I don't even know how I made this chapter the way I did. I'm honestly not proud of it. Plus, it's 11:58 at night. Cut me some slack XD. I haven't had much free time recently, and idek why. Literally, my entire senior year for the past 5 months has been so easy going, and then I decide to make a fanfic and it's like I suddenly don't have the time nor the energy. But alas, I at least have to post at some point on Mondays, so here I am. Sorry if this chapter is totally lame (cuz it is *sigh*).

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach...

* * *

"Mom!"

Heavy breathing. Confusion setting in, he calmed his heart rate down. That dream was more than taxing for his mentality. Looking around, he realized that he was still at Grimmjow's place. He had fallen asleep on the couch while Grimmjow used the spare futon to sleep next to him. He was, surprisingly, still sleeping even after Ichigo's little outburst. The redhead was always amazed by his friend's ability at deep sleeping.

That was definitely his mother's voice he had heard in his dream. And those images - so undeniably familiar, yet far from his grasp of comprehension. Was all of it just merely a dream, or was there a hidden meaning to it?

For now, it was still really late, and he needed his sleep. Shifting under the light sheets, he positioned himself to a more comfortable state and closed his eyes, allowing sleep to take him again.

Unbeknownst to Ichigo, a certain bluenette peered an eye opened and quietly looked at the other before falling back to sleep.

* * *

The next morning, Grimmjow was unnervingly quiet. It was a Saturday, so they were walking around, with no set destination in mind. Ichigo was becoming shaky from his silence. Just before, he seemed fine when he had made breakfast for them both. He didn't look angry - just really focused.

Ichigo was also thinking about his dream again. He couldn't get it out of his mind. Seeing all of those different time periods. Seeing himself, along with Grimmjow, suffering such deaths over and over again. But were those two people really them? What did it all mean? It couldn't have been real, right? _What if…_

"-chigo."

Coming out of his thoughts, the redhead looked up at his friend beside him.

"S-sorry. What?"

"Jeez, I've been callin' your name for a minute now. The heck's with ya?"

Rubbing his face, he sighed and recollected himself. "Yeah, I've been out of it. My bad."

Grimmjow studied Ichigo with a straight face. He looked away, questioning himself whether or not to ask. He didn't want to say what he had in his mind only to freak his friend out. Even so…

"Hey, let me ask you something. I saw you freaking out last night. You were dreaming about something intense, as far as I could tell. What was it?"

Ichigo bit his lip, debating to tell the bluenette about his weird, yet seemingly otherworldly, experience. How could he say anything - it would all sound completely ridiculous, right? However, he knew Grimmjow was seriously trying to figure out what his deal was, especially if he was using full, complete words in his speech.

"It was nothing, so don't worry about it. It was just a dumb dream."

"You saw it, didn't you? The Hall of Imaging Time?"

"What are you talking about? You know about that...place?"

Averting his gaze, the bluenette folded his arms and breathed deeply, contemplating on what to say next.

"Grimmjow, how the hell do you know about that place? The Hall of what - how do you even know its name?"

"I-"

"Well, well. Look who it is!"

Startled, both boys turned and looked at the newcomers. One was pretty tall and heavily built, while the other had some type of weird gear covering his face.

"It seems we have located the target. Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez, you are coming back with us to the base. Any resistance is futile."

"...Ichigo, I need you to do me a favor. Go now and get your dad, go back to my house and make sure that Nel is safe."

"What the hell for? Who are these guys, and why do they want you?"

"Just listen to me! I was afraid this might happen, but I'll explain later."

"I have a better idea. How about you both shut up and the blue bastard comes with us, while I kill this redheaded freak."

"Just who the hell are you guys?!"

"We are the duo team tasked at obtaining the traitor for the boss. I am Aaroniero Arruruerie, the Noveno Espada. My boisterous partner here is Yammy Llargo, the Decimo Espada. We are here for one reason only: The capture of former Sexta Espada, Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez."

"Yeah, that's right! Oh, and don't let your former title get to your head. We're much stronger than before, so don't think you can take us so lightly!"

Ichigo was utterly confused. What the hell was an Espada? More importantly, how was Grimmjow involved in all of this? Was this some type of secret gang business he was unaware of?

"Well guys, that was a nice speech. You done yet?" Grimmjow asked, unamused. His whole body was spewing in confidence, as if he and Ichigo were in no danger. These guys looked tough.

"You shouldn't underestimate us, you miscreant." With that, the Noveno rushed forward, a sword in hand, at a fast pace. Ichigo widened his eyes, seeing at how quick this person had moved.

"You never change, Aaroniero. Always so easy to read." As soon as he was within reach, Grimmjow dodged the incoming attack and landed a hard punch right on the other's stomach. Gagging, the Noveno fell on his knees, gasping due to the excruciating pain from a single punch. Grimmjow then took out a gun - _where the hell did the gun come from -_ and pulled the trigger, aiming for the Noveno's head. The protective gear smashed, and the lifeless body fell over.

Running forward at a great speed, Grimmjow reached the Decimo and grabbed his neck, lifting his body to slam it on a nearby wall. The other gasped in shock, reaching for the bluenette's hands to free himself from his hold, but with no luck.

"Now, Yammy. Before I end your life like I did that scumbag partner of yours, I want you to tell me something. Who sent you two, and why?"

Laughing defiantly, the Decimo gave Grimmjow a death glare. "We were given orders to bring you back alive. Certain people aren't too happy with the state you left our organization in. As for who, I'll give you a hint: Think back on all of the people that hated you, and then think of the one person who secretly despised you the most."

"I've heard enough." There was a cracking sound followed by silence. Letting go of the dead man, Grimmjow took out his cell phone and sent a text to his sister. She had to be warned.

"What the actual fuck is going on here?!" Ichigo whispered mainly to himself.

"I guess I have some explaining to do, huh?" Grimmjow smiled sheepishly at Ichigo, who gave him a horrified look in return. Looking down, the bluenette knew who exactly would want to orchestrate this kind of little game. _Fucking hell. Shoulda killed him when I had the chance._


	9. Chapter 9

"The news, Cuatra?"

"Sir. Both Decimo and Noveno have perished in the battle to capture the target. It appears that, during his leave of absence, Jaegerjaquez has become even stronger than what he was."

"I see. I expected as much. Sending Aaroniero and Yammy were merely to gauge Grimmjow's strength. I see that he is much stronger than before. We must tread carefully. You are dismissed." Bowing, the Cuatra Espada took his leave. Shortly after, another figure entered the room.

"Sir, the drug is complete. Testing has gone through marvelously. We have already started mass production, and will be ready when you give the order."

"And what of the Hogyoku?"

"The Hogyoku is also complete. It will surely expand your powers in a significant way."

"Bring the Hogyoku to me immediately. I will implant it within myself and become one with it. The time to strike is near. In the meantime, I want you to have Septima, Sexta, and Quinto get themselves ready. They are to be deployed with Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez as the primary target. Should anyone interfere, dispose of them. That is all, Octava."

"Yes, sir. It shall be done."

LINE BREAK

Getting back to Grimmjow's house was very awkward for Ichigo. He was not only confused, but also slightly frightened. Who wouldn't be cautious after just viewing your close friend killing two random people in a matter of seconds? And the fact that they were after the bluenette sent shivers down his spine. It was all too weird.

"Sit down. I have quite a bit to tell ya. But before that…" Grimmjow left for about a minute, and then came back with his sister.

"Why is Nel here? Wait… Don't tell me she's a part of this whole thing?!"

"Please relax, Ichigo. Grimmy will explain everything, and I'll fill in on any details he may leave out."

"Ok, now, I just want you to promise me this: Unless for something minor or mundane, don't interrupt me or blow up over anything. Don't give any kind of reaction _until_ I finish explaining everything."

"... Alright, fine. I guess I can do that."

Sighing, he rubbed his face and contemplated on where he should even begin. He felt a hand on his right shoulder and looked up to see Nelliel giving him a reassuring smile. Slowing his breathing, he glanced up at the redhead and locked onto his brown, deep caramel eyes.

"First off, that dream you had was not just any random dream. What you experienced last night was, in fact, real. I know this because I, too, have gone through that place. It happened when I was around seven. I won't lie to ya, I was pretty fuckin' scared myself when it happened. But when I did go through it, it was as if something deep in me opened up, and the truth came pouring out. I later learned that the place was called The Hall of Imaging Time."

"That's what you said earlier. I may have an idea already, but what exactly is that place for?"

"As its name suggests, it's literally a hallway that has a bunch of images, sorta like small video clips, that show major terrible events throughout history, as well as things that have yet to come. However, they all have one recurring theme: Two specific people are always shown in them. One, a blue haired man," he pointed at himself, "and the other a redhead" he pointed at Ichigo. "Or orange haired, pretty much the same thing, if you don't count Renji."

"Wait, you're trying to tell me that those two people are… are us?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying. We have both lived countless lifetimes, going through tragedy after tragedy, all for one purpose: To save the world from utter destruction." The room was silent as Ichigo furrowed his brows in deep thought. Nelliel was looking between the two, wondering how much of this Ichigo would actually take to heart. Grimmjow continued, "This part I'm not entirely familiar with - I only know that it happened, not the full details - but many years ago, a very famous and strong prophet had given a prophecy about the world's end. This prophet told of the destruction to come, but they also told of two individuals yet to be born that would have the capabilities of preventing this future. The prophet had specifically explained that the two individuals would be born soon, but would not be alive to save the world in this era. That had cause major confusion among the followers, trying to figure out what they had meant. How could there be saviors to help the world if they wouldn't be alive to do any saving? Soon after, the prophet died, and the two were born. The two would then grow up to realize their destiny, and whenever a major calamity struck, they would do what they could to stop it. However, true to the prophet's words, they did end up dying after all…"

"Reincarnation…"

"Yeah. That's the part that no one from that time period could figure out. 'In this era' strictly meant that they would be reborn. Multiple times, if that's what it took - and it did. Throughout a large portion of history, after the prophet's time, the two would constantly be reborn in order to fulfill what they were born to do. Birth, death, birth, then death again - it was a never-ending cycle of repeat. However, all things come to an end eventually."

"And that's why the hallway in that place has an actual end to it. And that's why there are two images on the wall of that end."

"One image, which I'm sure you saw, shows the end of the world. It's a complete void of emptiness, lacking any signs of life. But the other is blank to me. I don't know how an alternative looks like."

"It's blank to you…? Then how come…" Ichigo whispered.

"Anyway, that would explain the things you saw at that hall. And in case you haven't realized it by now, we are the next reincarnation of the two saviors, destined to save the world. We may very well be the last ones too."

"Ok, real quick. How in the hell were you able to move so quickly when you fought with those two guys earlier? Last time I checked, you're just a normal person, reincarnation or not."

"Every time we reincarnate, we always retain the experience from our past lives. It just doesn't become useful until we regain our memories. For me, that happened when I was seven, like I said before. That's how I moved so quickly. You didn't even realize that I had taken a gun out hidden on my waist," he lifted his jacket to show that he did, in fact, have a gun on him. Freaky. "Everything I can do, you can do as well. The problem is that you haven't gotten your memories of your past lives yet."

How could this be real? Nothing he said sounded at all like truth. It was as if he was reading off a fantasy book. There was absolutely no basis for Ichigo to believe Grimmjow. Any right minded person would just walk away from this situation and pretend it never happened. But, for some odd reason, he felt inclined to believe him. He couldn't explain it, but he felt that, deep down, he already knew the things that the bluenette had told him. He just had to accept it all as fact. That's why…

"I believe you." Rubbing the back of his head, he kept speaking. "I honestly have no reason to do so, but I just can't help but just trust you and what you say. I honestly don't know if that makes me crazy or not," he ended with a small chuckle.

"I'm glad. I was hoping that you would remember it all on your own, but after what happened today, that just seems too far away now. I had no choice but to tell you, but I'm thankful that you actually believe me."

"Alright, so you and I are the saviors. This is more than likely our last chance, or else that's the world's death."

"Yeah," he said hesitantly, glancing away from the redhead. "That's pretty much the gist of it all." Nelliel looked at her brother with sad eyes, knowing full well that was not _all_ Grimmjow had to tell Ichigo, but there's a time and place for that, after all.

"So," Nelliel began, "now you know of the origins, so I'll take over from here. You still have to know about the people who went after you two earlier, and how exactly they are involved in all of this."


	10. Chapter 10

_Hueco Mundo Pharmaceuticals. The company giant run by Sōsuke Aizen, head building located in Berlin, Germany. Legal guardian of Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez and Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck. A very important source of medicinals and healthcare throughout Europe, and even some parts of the world. However, unknown to the public was the secret gang organization, with Aizen as its leader, along with Gin Ichimaru and Kaname Tōsen as co-founders. Within it, eight elite members, dubbed the Espadas, sat at a long table situated within a special meeting room of their shared suite, Las Noches. Here, two young individuals had just been announced as new members of the Espada ranks._

 _"_ _This is such bullshit! Who the hell made it possible for annoying brats to join our ranks?!"_

 _"_ _Yammy, I am sure you are aware that these two are not your average people. They were appointed by Lord Aizen, himself. These are his children." Ulquiorra was constantly keeping tabs on Yammy's behavior, and this exact moment was no exception._

 _"_ _I get that, but this is ridiculous. Next thing you know, we're going to start taking in random ass hobos down the street."_

 _"_ _Yammy," Kaname added, "need I remind you of your position in the ranks? You are the weakest among us, and as such, you have been 'awarded' the title of Decimo. You should remember your place, and respect Lord Aizen's decisions and_ not _question them."_

 _"_ _Oho! Insubordination. Better be careful, Yammy. Captain Aizen might very well show you direct punishment if you keep that up," chided Gin._

 _"_ _Now now, let's continue with the meeting, shall we?" Aizen sighed. Turning his head, he beckoned for the two newcomers to enter the room. Grimmjow, now 13, and Nelliel, now 17, with hesitant steps, showed their faces. "Now, everyone, these two are my children, Grimmjow and Nelliel," Grimmjow lowly growled at that remark. "They have had ample training, and as such, will be, from this moment on, titled Sexta and Tercera, respectively. I am sure you will all give them a warm welcome," Aizen's eyes darted towards Yammy, which caused him to shift in his seat._

 _"_ _Alright Aizen, we came like you asked. Can we go now?" asked Grimmjow, uninterestingly._

 _"_ _Yes, you may go now." The two turned to leave when Aizen spoke again. "Oh, and Nel, I expect to see you in my office later. I have some things to discuss with you."_

 _Nel started to shiver in both disgust and fear, with Grimmjow clasping a hand on her shoulder for comfort, as he dragged her out of the room with a snarl. Aizen watched the two leave with a small smirk._

* * *

 _"_ _Alright, Nnoi. I need you to do something for me." Nnoitra glanced at Grimmjow with interest._

 _"_ _What's up?"_

 _"_ _I'm planning on ditching this place - for good. I'm taking Nel with me. That bastard's done enough to her and I won't allow this to go on. He's fucking dead by the end of the night."_

 _"_ _Grimm, are you serious?! Do you have any idea what Aizen's capable of? You of all people should know, he's your guardian for God's sake!"_

 _"_ _I don't care! I'm fucking done. And you of all people should know how much I care about my sister. Which is why I'm even telling you, I know you two have feelings for each other, so I need you to help me out. I have a plan, but I can't pull it off without your help. Do you think you can help us escape from this hell hole?"_

 _Shit. Grimmjow was serious. "...Okay. I'll help. You're lucky I like your ass. But what are you going to do about the testing? Aizen is close to completing the Hōgyoku. Even if you can kill him and escape, either Gin or Kaname will come after you two. And they_ will _finish the Hōgyoku, which would put the whole world to shit, if you forgot."_

 _"_ _I'm completely aware of that. Which is another reason why I have to get out. I need to find someone that I met a while back. He can help me stop this shit with the Espadas. He can help me defeat the Hōgyoku."_

 _"_ _Who even is this kid you're talking about? This is probably the hundredth time you've even mentioned him, but you never say a name. Are you sure he can even be useful?"_

 _"_ _Oh, I'm sure. He'll help me out, even if I gotta force him to help. If not, we're all doomed." It got really quiet inside Nnoitra's room. The dread of them failing was falling on their shoulders. Even imagining how the world would turn out if they failed gave them chills._

 _After a while, Nnoitra asked, "So, you have a plan? Let me hear it." Grimmjow smirked._

* * *

 _"_ _You scum! You said you had my back on this - what about our friendship? What about Nel?!"_

 _Nnoitra grimaced, "Sorry, I lied. You got what you wanted, Aizen's dead. But I didn't say I wouldn't rat you out."_

 _"_ _Fucking bitch! I'll kill you!" With that, Grimmjow made his getaway with Nel before anyone else could find them. It was bad enough that four of the Espadas witnessed that argument. Nnoitra turned around and smirked at his comrades, leaving Grimmjow behind as a memory._

* * *

"That is how we became a part of the Espadas, and that is how we left. Grimmy was able to kill Aizen and free us. We were lucky," finished Nel.

Ichigo sat there, completely baffled at how utterly cruel the Espadas were described to be. Especially Aizen and Kaname. Gin just seemed to be a weird one, but Ichigo never let appearances fool him.

"Wow, that's freaking insane. And this...drug. I can see why it would destroy the world." He turned to look at Grimmjow, "We have to do whatever we can to stop them, the Espadas."

"Yeah, well, we're gonna need a plan. And it can't just be us three. We're gonna need help, and I honestly don't know who around can help us."

"It may not be exactly to your liking, but we can ask our friends to help us. Sure, they're all normal kids at a glance, but they have their own unique qualities that I think can help us out."

Thinking it through, and with no other choice, Grimmjow relented. "Fine, but I don't want anyone getting hurt. Especially them." Now, the fun part - explaining everything to their friends in a way that won't make Grimmjow, Nel, and Ichigo all look like mental cases.


	11. Chapter 11

**AN: Hello everyone, guess who? Okay, let me just say that AAAHHHHH I'M SO SORRY! Let me explain, I've been gone for like, what, two months? Three? Something like that. To give you a retrospect of how my life has been: Firstly, school was annoying. Luckily, I'm finishing next week, so thank God for that, am I right? XD. Secondly, my brother had recently lost his job and broke his phone, and, being the wonderful, _nice_ sibling that I am, let him use my laptop whenever he wanted... I realize that this wasn't exactly smart on my end, as it seemed to make things difficult for me to type my story out. But, I grew a pair, and I'm now more assertive about my stuff, so here I am with my laptop in hand for about 3 days and I haven't heard anything about it. Spoke my mind. It worked (somehow...plus, he already got a new phone so he doesn't have any reason to complain). **

**But anyway! I feel super duper bad about the wait to all of you out there, so here are two chapters that I literally types up these past two days. Now, I won't go around saying that updating will be everyday or every other day like last time, because...it won't. Summer's here, so it'll make it easier for me to type out chapters, while at the same time, my summer job is coming in full swing. So, if anything, expect chapters to come out within a week to two weeks of each other. I will honestly try my best, but that's what I'll be doing. My best.**

 **On another note, there have been such great GrimmIchi stories coming out lately that put mine to shame and I'm fangirling too hard for my senses to cooperate. Plus, it's almost 11 at night and I'm sleep deprived :D. (I'm lowkey dying send help).**

 **Onward to the story at hand! (Please note, chapter 11 is all flashback, in case some of you may not have realized) Enjoy! And again, gomen.**

* * *

 _"_ _Nelliel! Nelliel, where's your brother?"_

 _Walking towards a room, the woman opened the door to find a little girl holding her hands behind her back, a suspicious look on her face. "Nel, sweetie, what are you hiding? Don't lie to me, now."_

 _With a nervous smile, eyes darting about at anything than the woman in front of her, Nelliel reluctantly spoke, "I was playing with Grimmy. I… may have used your makeup kit."_

 _Rolling her eyes, the woman replied, "Nel, I know you're only seven, but do we have to go through this on a daily basis? Alright, where is he? Did you hide him under the bed again?" Reaching down, she searched the dusty floor under the bed, when a ruffle reached her ears from her closet. "Tsk tsk, you know you can't from me, young man. I will always find you~," she sang out. Opening the closet, she saw her son sitting down, trying to hide his face._

 _"_ _Hehe… Mommy found me, big sis." The boy slowly turned his face, revealing the amount of makeup that was actually used._

 _"_ _Oh, my goodness. Nel, get your brother cleaned up please. You know how expensive mommy's makeup is. And Grimmjow, don't listen to_ everything _your sister says. Sometimes, she just likes to mess with you," she ended with a wink._

 _"_ _Vanda! Where are you? Is anyone home?" her husband called out._

 _"_ _I'm in the room, Josef," she shouted. "Our daughter decided to play dolly on our son."_

 _"_ _Where's my boy? I need to teach him a lesson on masculinity!"_

 _"_ _What masculinity?" whispered Vanda, showing a smirk._

 _"_ _Daddy!" both children shouted with glee. "Hey Dad, how was work? Did you fire anyone? Huh, didja?" Nel pondered._

 _"_ _Daddy, Nel put makeup on me, she told me that it'll make my blue hair look brighter than yours, but I don't think it worked. Mommy made me wash it off." Grimmjow deadpanned._

 _"_ _Kids, let's not use up your mother's makeup. She gets cranky about it, and I have to listen to her," he whispered. He froze, turning slightly to see the look of death coming from his wife's eyes. "Actually, forget I ever said that. Just know that… I got you both something!" The children lit up like fireworks, throwing their hands up to grab the expected candy from their father. Taking a piece, they raced away, yelling their thanks as they went to their respective rooms._

 _"_ _We have another meeting later. We'll need to drop the kids off at Martha's again." Vanda said with annoyance._

 _"_ _Just great, I figured this would happen. I seriously don't see how the sitter still takes care of the kids as much as she does. I feel like we're burdening her," he sighed in defeat._

 _"_ _That's not true, hon. She adores the kids, and she's such a sweet girl. She's about to become a senior in high school soon, and then off to college. She really grew up fast in these past five years."_

 _"_ _You're telling me. I still remember when we first met her, and her comment about our hair colors. 'Are your hair colors real, or did you guys move in from a circus?' I swear, we'll never hear the end of that assumption."_

 _"_ _Yeah, I know. You've gotta admit, it is pretty funny. Your blue hair and my green hair, that is," she laughed a bit. "At any rate, we should really get going. We don't want to be late."_

 _"_ _You're right. Owning a company is annoying sometimes. I mean, we do business, and yet, ironically, we own a pharmaceutical giant. And don't get me started on that Doctor Aizen. The man gives me the creeps."_

 _"_ _Oh, man up, Josef. We did hire him, after all. It's of our own doing. At least be glad you don't see him as often, being that we left Germany to live in Japan. You only have to see him from a camera screen." She paused, "Kids! Let's go, we're taking you to Big Sister Martha!"_

* * *

 _"_ _Alright kids, make your mommy and daddy proud, and be good while staying with Martha. As usual, we won't be back until late, so behave until we get back."_

 _"_ _We will, Mommy," they said in unison._

 _"_ _Thank you again, Martha. Honestly, we shove our kids so much at you that we barely seem like good parents."_

 _The seventeen-year-old showed a bubbly smile at them, her blonde hair lightly draped over her shoulders, complementing the auburn sweater worn. "Nonsense, Mr. Jaegerjaquez. I know how busy you two are with your company, and you do your best for your kids. Plus, I really love them, so I don't mind one bit," she giggled._

 _"_ _Okay, we'll get out of your hair now. Have fun kids!" Vanda waved at them as they drove off._

 _"_ _Bye Mommy, bye Daddy! See you later"_

 _If only they had known they wouldn't be seeing them later._

* * *

 _"_ _Hello?"_

 _Nelliel and Grimmjow watched as their babysitter, Martha, answered the phone. It had been about 3 hours since their parents went off to their meeting, which was always important for adults._

 _"_ _No… This has got to be some kind of prank, right? Please tell me you're joking…" Without hesitation, Martha ran to her television and turned it on, switching to the local news channel. Her eyes went wide as she watched the horror on the screen, dropping to her knees while clutching the phone like a lifeline. The building was engulfed in flames, firefighters shown rushing to the scene. She brought the phone back up to her ear, listening to the voice on the other end._

 _"_ _Yes… Yes, I understand. Please, if anything of their status changes, will you let me know?" She hung up, dazed and gravely saddened._

 _Two more hours had passed when the phone rang again. With haste, Martha answered it with shaky hands. "Yes? Any news? Are they alive?!" Silence filled the room as Nel and Grimmjow slept on the couch. Martha allowed a quiet sob to escape her lungs, eyes blurring and stinging. Her face felt wet when she ran her hand on her cheek. She dropped the phone, and screamed in agony. The kids woke up, startled at the sudden crying. They were confused and scared, to the point of spilling tears themselves. They were not even aware of why their sitter was so distraught. They would soon find out._

 _The funeral would be held in four days' time._


End file.
